Showing posts with label easy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label easy. Show all posts

Saturday, January 5, 2013

Shelf Life of Fruits and Vegetables

You’re now stocked on veggies and fruits but…


In addition to storing your fruits and veggies properly, it’s good to know approximately how long the fresh stuff will last. Plan your trip to the grocery or farmer’s market accordingly so that your foods are at the peak of freshness when you plan to prepare them, and you’re not throwing away food that’s gone bad before you get a chance to use it!

1-2 days:
  • Artichokes
  • Asparagus
  • Bananas
  • Basil
  • Broccoli
  • Cherries
  • Corn
  • Dill
  • Green beans
  • Mushrooms
  • Strawberries

2-4 days:

  • Arugula
  • Avocados 
  • Cucumbers
  • Eggplant
  • Grapes
  • Lettuce
  • Limes
  • Pineapple
  • Zucchini


4-6 days:
  • Apricots
  • Blueberries
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Cauliflower
  • Grapefruit
  • Leeks
  • Lemons
  • Oranges
  • Oregano
  • Parsley
  • Peaches
  • Pears
  • Peppers
  • Plums
  • Spinach
  • Tomatoes
  • Watermelon

7+days:

  • Apples
  • Beets
  • Cabbage
  • Carrots
  • Celery
  • Garlic
  • Hard Squash
  • Onions
  • Potatoes


PRINT THIS OUT AND KEEP IT IN YOUR KITCHEN!!!


Xox Brittany
The Fitspirational Blonde

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

A+ Grocery List


Hi Guys!

This is my very basic grocery list.
This list is infinitely ever-changing, and I add and take away foods depending on the meals that I plan on creating that particular week.
On average, I spend about $100-200/ week on groceries (keep in mind I am feeding a family of 3.) 
The reason that I am sharing my personal list is to HELP YOU CREATE YOUR OWN. 
Get inspired, take action and take the future of your health into your own hands.

Stores I shop at:
  • Trader Joes
  • Whole Foods
  • Sprouts
  • Local farmers market
  • Walmart (if they’re having a special on fruits/veggies.)


Grocery List

Veggies
  • AVOCADO (Yes, I have a passionate affair with a vegetable)
  • Asparagus
  • Red Bell Peppers
  • Artichoke
  • Carrots
  • Cucumber
  • Spinach
  • Celery
  • Cherry Tomatoes (technically a fruit, but I consider it a vegetable because of the taste)
  • Dark Leafy Lettuce
  • Onions
  • Green Beans
  • Potatoes
  • Spaghetti Squash (on special occasions)
Fruits
  • Mangoes
  • Pineapple
  • Apples (Green, red)
  • Bananas
  • Raspberries
  • Strawberries
  • Blueberries
  • Oranges
  • Cuties(If they’re in season, they make a great “on the go” snack)
  • Pomegranate
Nuts
  • Almonds
  • Brazilian Nuts (fabulous “purse snack” instead of chips)
  • Pecans
  • Pine nuts (forfresh pesto)
Beverages
  • Milk (2%)
  • Soy
  • Orange Juice (natural, no preservatives)
  • Cranberry Juice (NOT from concentrate)
Condiments
  • Olive Oil
  • Cayenne Pepper
  • Cinnamon
  • Garlic Powder
  • Peanut Butter
Other
  • Greek Yogurt
  • Penne Pasta
  • Oatnut Bread
  • Pita
  • Hummus
I find it REALLY helpful to lay out the foods that I get on a weekly/monthly basis. Keep in mind this is MY personal list of groceries. Yours will differ. 

As a long time health blogger, I highly recommend to you to take the time to sit down and make your own one of these. It will really help to get organized and realize the healthy foods that you need to replenish on a weekly or monthly basis.
Don’t be scared to re-evaluate your list frequently!

Get creative, get healthy.

Xox Brittany

The Fitspirational Blonde

Difference between BUTTER and MARGARINE (Oh my gosh EW!!)


My mom emailed me this, this morning (since she knows I LOVE learning anything/everything about nutrition) and IT WAS SO SCARY AND DISGUSTING I WILL NEVER EAT MARGARIN AGAIN!
My mom saved the day, and yours too!


After you read this, you too will never eat margarin again. I guarantee you!

Read on to the end...gets very interesting!
BUTTER:
  • Butter is created from cream which rises to the top of milk if it sits for a period of time. Through the process of churning the cream, a chemical reaction takes place which makes the cream begin to solidify.
  • Butter is an excellent source of vitamins A, D, E, and K. None of these fat-soluble vitamins are found in margarine.
  • The best quality butter is made from certified raw cream. Certified raw butter is made up of healthy fatty acids.
  • Toxic metals or trans-fat is not found in butter.
  • It is a dairy product, but is actually easy to digest to even the most dairy sensitive people. Butter doesn’t contain milk sugar or milk protein which are the main allergens found in dairy products.
  • Eating butter increases the absorption of many other nutrients in other foods.
  • Butter has many nutritional benefits where margarine has a few and only because they are added! 


And now, for MARGARINE:
  • Very High in Trans fatty acids.
  • Triples risk of coronary heart disease
  • Increases total cholesterol and LDL (this is the bad cholesterol) and lowers HDL cholesterol, (the good cholesterol) 
  • Increases the risk of cancers up to five times
  • Lowers quality of breast milk 
  • Decreases immune response.
  • Decreases insulin response. 
And here's the most disturbing fact... HERE IS THE PART THAT IS VERY INTERESTING! 

Margarine is but ONE MOLECULE away from being PLASTIC... and shares 27 ingredients with PAINT.
BUT WAIT IT GETS WORSE:

Open a tub of margarine and leave it open in your garage or shaded area. Within a couple of days you will notice a couple of things:

  1. No flies, not even those pesky fruit flies will go near it (that should tell you something)
  2. It does not rot or smell differently because it has no nutritional value ; nothing will grow on it. Even those teeny weeny microorganisms will not a find a home to grow.



Why? Because it is nearly plastic . Would you melt your Tupperware and spread that on your toast?

I hope this got you thinking about the food you put in your body. Just because you buy something at the store DOESN'T mean that it  has any nutritional value whatsoever! 
The people who create these foods could care less about your health. 
But I do. So I hope you read this and will pass it on so the people who follow YOU will choose butter over Margarine too.
Have a healthy and Fabulous day <3

Xox Brittany 
The Fitspirational Blonde

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Bring your food with you to college!



BRING YOUR FOOD WITH YOU TO COLLEGE!!!
If you&#8217;re a studying/working girl like me with an outrageous busy schedule, finding time to eat is SO rough.
You know you&#8217;ve been here- we all have:
Sometimes you go hours and hours without eating, skipping meals left and right until you get to the point where you&#8217;re feeling faint from not eating and then result to the worst thing possible.. FAST FOOD&#8230;. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Well guess what? 
Fruit is the fastest food you can possibly eat, and you don&#8217;t even have to drive through anywhere to get it! 
Planning and packing a lunch/ snacks to keep with you throughout the day is a GREAT idea for everyone and anyone.
These fabulous glad ware separators are perfect for putting together a wonderful healthy lunch the night before your day of hectic activities.
Don&#8217;t let hunger be another thing making you stressed.
Eating frequently not only makes your metabolism faster, it also keeps your energy level high as well as your ability to give focus to the activities that you are doing (such as college classes.)
So grab some glad ware and get packing tonight!
Xox Brittany
The-Fitspirational-BlondeIf you’re a studying/working girl like me with an outrageously busy schedule, finding time to eat is SO rough.
You know you've been here- we all have:
Sometimes you go hours and hours without eating, skipping meals left and right until you get to the point where you’re feeling faint from not eating and then result to the worst thing possible.. FAST FOOD…. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Hi lovlies!
These are some absolutely wonderful lunch box ideas! 
Regardless of if you are in elementary school, high school, college or have a full time job, these are FABULOUS snacking options for you!
Pre-prepare these ahead of time and bring them with you.
This could help you avoid driving through your nearest deadly fast food joint, or prevent you from going through the day starving.
Write them down, print them out and next time when you&#8217;re trying to figure out what to eat or take with you, you&#8217;ll have a wonderful list of healthy options to take with you.
Xox Brittany





THE-FITSPIRATIONAL-BLONDE
Well guess what? 

Fruit is the fastest food you can possibly eat, and you don’t even have to drive through anywhere to get it! 

Planning and packing a lunch/ snacks to keep with you throughout the day is a GREAT idea for everyone and anyone.
These fabulous glad ware separators are perfect for putting together a wonderful healthy lunch the night before your day of hectic activities.

Don’t let hunger be another thing making you stressed.

Eating frequently not only makes your metabolism faster, it also keeps your energy level high as well as your ability to give focus to the activities that you are doing (such as college classes.)
So grab some glad ware and get packing tonight!
Xox Brittany

Xox Brittany
The Fitspirational Blonde

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

3 minute (at home) Italian Salad!






You are ALWAYS telling me you want quick and healthy meals to eat so I’ve decided to start a strain of posts JUST dedicated to QUICK, EASY, and HEALTHY meals all under 10 minutes!



To kick off these posts, here is a delicious home made Italian salad that I literally threw together in 3 minutes.


You can use what ever veggies you have in your fridge, but I decided to go with the basics:
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Carrots
  • Cucumbers
  • Dark leafy greens
  • And non-Fat Italian Dressing
Wash them, slice them, toss them and POOF you’re done!
There is no need to make things complicated when you’re short on time. Get creative, but if you can’t just come to me and I’ll be all the creativity for both of us :)



Enjoy, and remember Fast food does NOT have to come from McDonalds! 
3 minutes is about as fast as it gets and this is PACKED with nutrients!

Xox Brittany

The Fitspirational Blonde